DIY Del's Lemonade (Frozen Soft-Serve Lemonade)

When life gives you a 4 pound bag of lemons, you make your own  Del's Lemonade!!

What's a Del's Lemonade, you ask?  Why, it is a soft-serve, frozen lemonade famous in Rhode Island.  It's like drinking snowy lemonade (which is exactly how it was created), but NEVER with a straw - you shake it and roll it around the cup, the heat from your hand slowly melting it into the perfect drinking texture.  And weather you buy it from a Del's Lemonade stand, truck, or cart - a pretzel rod or gumball stuck atop is the perfect garnish, regardless of age.

So I don't have any pretzels or gumballs....and I don't have any of the iconic green, waxy cups that it's dispensed in...but I do have the sweet, tart, and frozen concoction that has all southern New Englanders swooning!!

You can purchase a Del's powdered mix, blend it together with water and ice cubes, and just be done with it.  But if you have lemons, sugar, water, and time - you can make it yourself - 100% o'na-tu-ral.  By making this yourself you can alter the amount of sugar used - sweetening it to your liking.  I used 1/3 cups of sugar...less than you'd get from a Del's, but sweet enough for me.

You don't need a facy ice cream maker - just a pan, a whisk and a blender.....and time....and patience.....just a lil' bit.  

**Caution**Warning**consuming this too fast will result in an ice cream induced headache!!  I got so excited, I ate a few spoonfuls - dropped my spoon, clutched my head, and cursed ice cream headaches!!

This is how it should look - smooth, and slush-like - with just a few hints of lemon zest throughout.  

If you can't make it to Rhode Island during the summer, here is an easy copycat for this famous treat!!

Print THIS Recipe!

DIY Del's Lemonade

makes 4 small, 2 large servings

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice and pulp (about 3-4 lemons worth)

1/3 cup of sugar, plus more to taste if needed

3 cups water, divided

1/4 tsp lemon zests, optional - but more authentic this way

Place a 9x12 baking pan in the freezer 30 minutes prior to mixing the ingredients. 

Dissolve the sugar in 2 cups of water - mix thoroughly - add lemon juice and zest.  

Pour into frozen pan, put back in the freezer for 90 minutes - stirring every half hour.  This should leave you with a solid layer, yet pliable enough to break apart with a spoon.  

Break the lemon ice into small pieces, taste test it - if more sugar is desired it can be added here, with the final cup of water.

Whisk in the remaining water until ice becomes slightly melted and slushy.  Immediately pour into a blender, starting on low for 20 seconds, then switching to high for 20 seconds - or until no large pieces of ice are present.

Serve immediately & enjoy!!

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